Comic-Con: Looking Ahead To 2014

Even though we aren’t even done with our 2013 coverage, we’re already starting to look forward to 2014. And when we say “look forward to”, we actually mean “start planning” because in the world of Comic-Con, there’s no such thing as “too early”. So we found some tidbits of information relating to next year’s SDCC that our readers might find interesting.

First off, everyone start marking your calendars and booking your arrangements now. San Diego Comic-Con 2014 will be on Thursday July 24 through Sunday July 27.

Next, the New York Times has a piece on the influence of Comic-Con and mainstream success of Hollywood big budget pictures, and how it doesn’t always work out. The latest example is Legendary’s Pacific Rim, which debuted last year at Comic-Con but has been one of the bigger box office disappointments in recent months. We’ve seen this in the past – Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and Cowboys & Aliens, for example, where Hall H acceptance doesn’t necessarily translate to the outside world.

It begs the question, is Comic-Con already too big? If Hollywood feels it needs to fill the space in Hall H with films that their market research says are perfect for the Comic-Con crowd, yet a high number of them underperform, will Hollywood feel the investment is worth it? And when the expansion to the Convention Center finally becomes reality, that just means more programming is needed to fill that space, and more of the same.

The article is more of a damning of the Hollywood machine; Comic-Con is just a by-product of it. As long as Hollywood keeps churning out sequels, reboots and remakes, the more “same-y” the programming schedule might start to feel, and it will be interesting to see how attendees respond to it.

On the flipside, ICv2 interviewed CCI’s David Glanzer on how he felt this year’s convention went and what changes they might do for the future. In the article, Glanzer talked about the “Comic-Con campus” they are promoting in lieu of the completed expansion to the Convention Center, something he talked to us about earlier in the year. And we have to say, we were mightily impressed with the use of the surrounding locations this year, although we noticed that more of them required attendees to have a 2013 badge. This is good in that it pulls the 130,000 badge holders in different directions, and avoids the dreaded logjam of people trying to line up for one panel or squeezing onto the show floor. But we’re not completely sold in that, as the quest to acquire Comic-Con badges becomes more and more difficult for the average person, that means more and more people without badges descending upon San Diego who would normally be able to attend, like the Xbox Lounge, are shut out from participating in these activations as well.

But aside from that, special kudos goes to CCI for the myriad of improvements implemented, such as moving the big gaming booths to the other end of the Convention Center and general queue management.

In the meantime, we want to leave you with something to think about. Earlier this week we tweeted how 2014 will be a crazy year for Hollywood and Hall H. So many big blockbusters in 2014 and 2015 will be expected to show at Comic-Con: Avengers 2, Ant-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy, the return of Disney with Pirates of the Caribbean 5, Star Wars Episode VII, Tomorrowland and Into The Woods; The Hobbit: There and Back Again, Batman vs. Superman, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, Jurassic Park 4, Terminator, Independence Day 2, The Fantastic Four and more. With that line-up, and countless surprises and yet-unannounced projects, Comic-Con ain’t big enough.

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“Success” in Hall H still means that only a tiny, tiny, tiny percentage of the con attendees actually responded well to your promo. SDCC needs to do something about getting the rest of the Con access to these now “exclusive within an exclusive” events.
After trying and massively failing to get in to the big panels during my first couple of years at the show, I have completely abandoned that aspect of the con. Panels and anything to do with Hasbro are completely dead to me at the show. There’s no way in hell I’m wasting full days of that show waiting in more and more lines to obtain a microscopic glimpse of a future Hollywood blockbuster or to obtain 4″ of rare, collectible plastic.

Jesse

How about this for hall h, you want swag ticket or fast pass autograph ticket, you have to leave hall h after the panel. I know it will be tough but if you want the item/autograph, you have to leave hall h. This would allow more people in and a more “movement” of people. Yikes, this makes it a tough decision.

marybluefairy

Hey, the longer the panel lines, the less competition I have for autographs and exclusives!

r34lRockNRolla

The real issue here is they need a larger arena. I really hope San Diego wises up soon and “gets the shovel in the ground” or else the Con will move. I really wish the off-sites would start earlier and stay open later, I only got to do Godzilla this year out of all the off-site exhibits/events/pop-up shops, etc. I mean I would eat cereal at 7pm, ya know?

No I saw it on preview night and wanted to checm it out but Thursday morning I was in line, fri-sat Hall H and then Sunday in line for expo hall again. My days were consumed at the convention I left the con floor for lunch, got in at Godzilla and that’s all I was able to do

AL

How about screw hollywood ? Enough with the movie crap already ! SDCC needs to get back to being about COMICS !!!! If i wanna see a movie i’ll go to the freakin movies !!!!!!

marybluefairy

I don’t see that happening, but I do think that studios need to be more selective about what they send to be exhibited. They shouldn’t show just anything, but movies and tv shows that are really relevant to this audience. If they don’t have anything appropriate, they should stay home. I am still scratching my head about the time ABC had “The Middle” for a panel. “Big Bang Theory,” “Game of Thrones,” “Walking Dead,” “Dr. Who” all make sense to me, as they represent the fandom genres of fantasy, sci-fi, zombies, and general comic book geekery…

TK421

The CCI folks really messed up the Hasbro line on days 1 and 2. Completely having people in the wrong places and being clueless on where the lines were forming.

The next thing they need to do is spread out the middle area around Star Wars/Lego/Hasbro, etc and move them to different areas.
Lastly to resolve some of the lines, waits, vendors need to utilize the badges more so you can just go to a booth and receive an exclusive, ticket, raffle, etc.
Waiting in 3+ long hour lines to then wait again in another line is a waste of con time for many. It could be done much better.

“The Looney Tunes Show: The Ballad of Toons City” is good! I hope the TV-PG to used Episodes from Suburb.

Chrissy

Will Supernatural be there?

Babs Bunny

What is The Looney Tunes Show : The Ballad of Toons City?

Joey

‘d like to know too. Since the series is cancelled, I’d love to see a re-boot of some sort.

BJSelavka

It is The Comedy Sitcom Roommates. When you know it is going to be the Comic-Con: Looking Ahead To 2014 or 2015. The new characters like Jerome Bunny & Bobby Duck to used on the show. Jessica Borutski would return and animation it would be Suburb Neighbors.

BJSelavka

The Looney Tunes Show: The Ballad of Toons City is upcoming by 2015 or 2014 for Comic-Con International San Diego and Jessica Borutski comes back.

Babs Bunny

Doesn’t sound real to me. I mean who the heck is Jerome Bunny & Bobby Duck. Do you have solid evidence of this show like storyboards, animatics, etc.?

BJSelavka

Jessica Borutski would come back and The Looney Tunes Show: The Ballad of Toons City is the Brand New Show. The New Characters would be Jerome Bunny & Bobby Duck would upcoming from the Suburban Neighbors.

RightCowLeftCoast

Also to be able to telecast the panels in Hall H, Ballroom 20, and 6CDE, while possibly cutting out the exclusive scenes would be great as well. Furthermore, as there is already an archiving section of San Diego Comic-Con, if they could archive and upload the panel it would allow more people to enjoy the content.

Tifa Lockheart

Will David Tennant be there? I missed it last year….

BJSelavka

I Think we need “The Looney Tunes Show: The Ballad of Toons City”

Axel Rivera

How much do the tickets for THE Comic Con cost?

Kerry

Last year, it was $175 for a four day badge with preview night, $42 for a day badge for Thurs-Sat, or $24 for a Sunday day badge. There’s no guarantee the prices will be the same this year.

Simone Myers

will game of thrones panel be there for the 2014 comic con , and what are the prices for the different tickets

Anne

So will there be a Hobbit:There and Back Again panel? Is this confirmed or just rumor? Please say yes! But if it’s not positive I probably won’t be going.

Nascarnbroncosfans

200.00 for the whole package

Nascarnbroncosfans

It used to be Fan panels had their own line, and toy buyers had their own lines…hasbro started out back. Since that one woman was run over out front a few years ago they lumped everyone into one line, further screwing it up. It will not get any better

Nascarnbroncosfans

Even better yet: NO SQUATTERS and give them Timed return passes. and HONOR THEM, leave them to their own line as it always was. Putting all one line is a pain and confusing. We SDCC attendees know where we are going.

Phil Anthony Odell

Fast pass for Hall H

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